melisandebassett

The Democratic National Alliance Chairman Omar Smith call on the government to implement proper COVID-19 protocols and administer sufficient equipment for doctors and nurses, after they walked off the job Tuesday morning.

His party assembled at the Princess Margaret Hospital to join hospital staff.

“This is unacceptable. At the beginning of a two week lockdown, those who at the front tine to protect us from this deadly disease, the government has saw fit to abandon and leave vulnerable. We believe this must be fixed immediately. We call on the competent authority to get the needed equipment to these doctors immediately and institute the proper protocols,” Smith said.

Bahamas Doctor Union President Dr. Melisande Bassett said the walkout is “not a sickout,” saying while helping the Bahamian people, doctors and nurses must do so “safely and sensibly.”

She said staff will not put itself in harm’s way as it waits for the situation to be addressed.

Just one day after Prime Minister Hubert Minnis announced a minimum of 2-weeks lockdown for the country, nurses and doctors refused to show up for work and many walked off the job on Tuesday, citing lack of protocols for safety, as COVID-19 numbers continually climb.

Bahamas Doctors Union President Dr Melisande Bassett told reporters, “We are at a tipping point where our staff members have become compromised because of the overwhelming number of patients with suspected COVID symptoms presenting to A&E.”

She said all of the COVID-19 isolation rooms are occupied, therefore patients are on A&E floor.

Dr. Bassett reassured that the actions taken by nurses and doctors are not a strike.

“This is not a sickout. We want to help the Bahamian people, but we have to do it safely and sensibly. We are waiting for this situation to be rectified. Until that happens, you can’t ask anyone to put themselves in harm’s way,” she said.

Dr. Minnis, on yesterday evening, revealed that COVID-19 numbers have placed a strain on bed capacity and health workers, as a result, the 2-week lockdown was necessary.

In recent days, the country has seen massive and rapid increases in cases, with figures presently standing at 679 cases–572 active cases with 22 people in hospital.

Last month, Dr. Bassett complained that the hospital was without interns and short over 30 doctors.

She took issue with the Public Hospital Authority’s failure to complete the process for hiring new interns, saying it “has certainly put a strain on departments that are scrambling to find additional help to care for patients. Could you imagine the fallout if we have a surge of COVI-19 cases?” she asked at the time.

It is hoped that the country can get a quick and sturdy grasp of the coronavirus pandemic.

Photo Credit: Eye Witness News